Born to Run
by Phoenix-Talon
Summary: Leah runs to escape.  No matter how hard and fast she runs, she keeps running into herself.  A snippet on how she discovered Sam and Emily.  Tell me if you like it, and I might continue it.


**AN: You all should know right off the bat that I sort of loathe and despise Twilight. I can't stand the characters of Edward and Bella, their relationship legitimately makes me nauseous. The series really should've been about Leah and Jacob, who were the only interesting characters, and maybe Alice and Jasper cuz those two occasionally rock my socks off. Anyway, I was challenged to do a drabble fic in a fandom I detest so here you are, all about Leah Clearwater, the only decent Twilight character who naturally gets screwed over and doesn't get the guy she should've gotten. (Jacob) Mazel tov.**

**Disclaimer-I don't own Twilight, thank the heavens.**

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I've always loved to run.

Even before I went wolfy, it was just something that was a part of me. I did it when I was happy, I did it when I was angry, but most of all I did it when I wanted to be alone. It drove my friends crazy that I never joined track or cross-country. But limiting something that was my only freedom with rules and stopwatches just didn't appeal to me. I continued to just run alone in the forest, jumping fences, skirting trees until I was breathless with energy. Nothing but my fierce panting, the sound of my heartbeat, and the birds screeching in time with me.

It was after one of these runs that I caught them together.

I'm such an idiot. No matter how snarky and bitchy I can be, I'm still the most naïve person on the planet. I'd thought Sam had been acting funny lately but I hadn't connected the dots. Emily had been strangely quiet too, even though when she usually visited we couldn't stop chattering to each other.

My favorite cousin and my only love. It's almost poetic. Too bad I hate poetry.

I'd headed toward the door, wiping the sweat from my forehead. I planned on taking a quick shower before changing—I had a date later that night with Sam and was in good spirits. I opened the door, intent on grabbing a water bottle from the kitchen.

The house was strangely quiet. I wondered where my younger brother was as I entered the kitchen.

"Em?" I called out. I'd wanted her help picking out an outfit for tonight—I was never good at that kind of thing (though Sam had said he'd never minded) and she'd always had that girly nature when it came to clothes that I'd lacked.

"Em, I'm home!" I called again. The silence seemed almost oppressive. I pulled my long black hair into a pony-tail, ignoring the tangles that always resulted from my runs.

I opened the living room door and froze.

I saw Emily. I saw Sam. Their arms were around each other for a moment too long before springing apart.

I dropped my water bottle.

"Leah," Emily's voice sounded dry, her usual soft tones desperate.

My brain wasn't registering. I tried making a noise and it came out a cough.

There was a horrible pause before Sam tried to speak.

"I was going to tell you tonight—" He started to say.

I suddenly remembered my voice. "Tell me what? That you two—you've—you were—" My voice sounded strangled.

Emily had started to cry and I knew it was true.

"Oh God," I nearly crumpled but I forced myself to stand. "My own flesh and blood? How could you? HOW COULD BOTH OF YOU?" I started to scream.

"Lee-lee," Sam tried to put his hands on my shoulders. "I didn't want this to happen—"

"The HELL you did!"

"Lee-lee, let me explain—"

"Do NOT," I stepped away from him furiously. "FUCKING call me that!" I slapped him as hard as I could across the face.

I am not a weak woman, there's a certain amount of force behind my slaps and punches. He staggered for a minute.

"Leah," Emily said quietly, tears pouring down her face. "Leah, you have to listen to us…"

Us? They were an us? I felt sick to my stomach but the rage didn't dissipate.

"SHUT THE HELL UP!" I shrieked at her. "I don't have to listen to ANYTHING you two have to say! Lying to me, sneaking around behind my back…my own _blood_, Emily!"

"Don't blame Emily," Sam said and to my fury he sounded angry. "It wasn't her fault—"

"The FUCK it was!" I'd begun to cry too, which pissed me off even more. I hate crying. "You're a cheating bastard—and she's—she's a slut!"

Emily halted as if I'd hit her and Sam started towards me, probably to rebuke me. I was still enraged and once he was close to me, I threw another punch.

But something happened. My punch made him stop, but then he fell to the floor.

I stared. Something was happening. He had begun to shiver like he was sick and had begun to groan in pain.

_What did I do?_ Emily ran to him but he cried out, pushing her away. I watched in horror as fur covered my boyfriend, his cries became snarls, and an enormous savage wolf stood before us.

"What—" I said in shock. The wolf monster snarled at me and lunged.

I heard Emily scream my name and I was abruptly shoved to the floor. Dazed, I realized two things—Emily's screams had intensified and I wasn't dead. She'd pushed me out of the way.

I cried out in terror but the wolf was off her in an instant. It started convulsing and ramming itself against the wall, knocking over furniture, as if it was trying to control itself. I crawled towards Emily…

Oh God…she was covered in blood. The monster's claws had torn themselves across her face and shoulders.

The wolf's rampaging had abated and Sam was on the floor on all fours, shaking.

"No," His voice broke when he saw Emily. "No…"

The rest was a haze. I called 911. I said there'd been a grizzly attack. I watched them bandage her up, tell my father that she'd probably be badly scarred but she would survive. I watched Sam go with her, tears streaming down his face. I knew Sam would never forgive himself.

I knew I wouldn't either.

I ran again. I ran as hard and as far as I possibly could, praying I'd get hopelessly lost and would die in the wilderness. I ran for hours and hours before finally letting myself run home.


End file.
